3 – CHURCH OF MADONNA DEL CARMINE (ENG)

On December 30, 1587, Alberico I Cybo-Malaspina, Marquis of Carrara, granted the Carmelite fathers from the convent of Fivizzano a plot of land near the ducal palace, located between one of the gates of the new city walls, Porta a Mare, and the newly built straight road leading to the recently created Piazza Alberica [See LINK].

In 1605, the church was consecrated by Bishop Giovanni Battista Salvago, and in 1610, the adjacent convent was completed. During the French occupation (1799–1814), the convent was repurposed, first as a military district and then as a sculpture workshop for the Lazzerini family of local artists. The church itself became an art gallery for local sculptors until the Restoration period, when it was reopened for worship and underwent restoration.

Dating back to the 16th century, the building is a significant example of Baroque style, reflecting Northern Italian influences.
The facade was restored in 1853 by Carrara architect Giovanni Ugolini. Its upper section features four pilasters with Corinthian capitals, topped by a cornice that serves as the base for a large pediment. Flanking the central window are two niches containing statues of St. Francis and St. Dominic. The lower section showcases an exquisite portal attributed to Bartolomé Ordóñez.

The interior, restored in 1845 by Andrea Lazzoni, consists of a single nave with six Doric pilasters along the walls supporting the arches of the grand barrel vault. Above the entrance, a marble tribune built by Giuseppe Pertugi in 1877 rests on four columns. The presbytery was altered in 1971: the balustrade was removed, a marble altar table was added, and the two side pedestals were converted into pulpits.

The high altar, dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, dates to 1599. Above the altar table is a 17th-century painting attributed to Domenico Fiasella, depicting the Madonna and Child. Of particular note is the altar dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi, erected in 1675 at the expense of Count Francesco Maria Diana.